1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to footwear and, more specifically, to footwear substantially comprised primarily of carbon fiber and aluminum, preferably recycled aluminum, forming the body of the shoe that incorporates a power source, electronic circuits and a plurality of selectively illuminable lighting and/or display elements.
The body of the shoe has an outsole and an upper, the upper primarily made of the aforementioned carbon fiber and recycled aluminum and includes a plurality of deployable shoe-body sections that are movable from a seated (wearing) position to an open position that enables the user to place their foot within the shoe and wherethen the sections are slotted back to their seated or closed positions.
The deployable sections include left and right quarter sections, a heel quarter section and a vamp section, each of which having at least one rail extending from its respective section into the body of the shoe to allow each section to be controllably moved back and forth from the seated to the open position and back again. Preferably each deployable section has a pair of these rails spaced apart on opposing sides of each of the sections. Each rail has a catch on its distal end that mates with a pair of corresponding receptacles in both the seated and the deployed positions. These catches could be of many types, such as a mating nub and dimple that will securely hold the individual deployable section in its closed seated position and serve as a stop in its open position.
Furthermore, the footwear of the present invention provides for an additional latching mechanism comprising an electromagnetic lock between the footwear body and each of the deployable sections with an actuator for selectively engaging and disengaging each or all of them.
Positioned peripherally and located approximately between the upper and the outsole are a plurality of illuminable lighting elements, such as LEDs or OLEDs that are in communication with an electronic circuit so that users can either enable or disable this illumination and, optionally, vary the display color. The heel area also provides for illuminable elements that may activate either through pressure transmitted to the heel while walking or be powered continuously through a switch. The vamp also may provide an OLED display in communication with electronic circuits, this display would preferably incorporate microprocessors and components that would enable WIFI and Bluetooth communication, or the like, for displaying messages, information, entertainment, etc. on the display transmitted from or through a mobile device, such as a cell or “smart” phone.
Power to the display, electromagnetic locks, and various illuminable elements is provided through a rechargeable battery, preferably located in the heel area of the footwear and could be either superseded or supplemented by solar cells positioned beneath the OLED display or on the upper sections of the shoe body.
Circuit leads run through an aluminum tubing framework extending between the vamp OLED display, the various illuminable elements and power supply. The aluminum framework for the circuit leads is positioned between the outsole and insole, and may be incorporated in the lining of the shoe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other shoes and types of footwear designed with various displays, ornamentation, and fastening mechanisms. While these articles of footwear may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.